The manipulation of history in the novel Yekanini by J.J.J. Gwayi

Abstract

This study envisages J.J. Gwayi's usage of history in writing her novel, Yekanini. The study shows Gwayi's success in writing an historical novel and how the novel is linked to the past. History refers to something which happened in the past. Gwayi has based her novel (current) on the novels written in the past (precursors). The concepts of intertextuality, influence and parasite have helped me to find traces of Ntuli's Umbuso KaShaka and Mofolo's Chaka in Gwayi's novel, Yekanini. Gwayi has tried to reinterpret the misinterpretations in the work of the two precursor writers. In finding misinterpretations I compare what each writer says about Shaka and his mother, Nandi, and evaluate the declarations and check the reliability of the information and the reality of the novel. The study also tries to find out what and to what extent might have influenced Gwayi to write this novel. Gwayi herself says that she has read many Zulu and English books and found them all wrong. She has written Yekanini to right the wrongs of the past. The role played by the individual characters has been shown. It is now clear that in writing about either Shaka or Nandi, it would be a mistake to leave out the other. Gwayi sums it up by saying, ·The work of an artist would be incomplete."